CooperAlfa se prepara para operações de biodiesel

Spanish Market: Agriculture, Biofuels
16/10/25

A CooperAlfa, cooperativa concentrada na produção de grãos e farinhas, se prepara para iniciar atividades no mercado de biodiesel a partir de 2027, após finalizar a construção de sua primeira usina em Chapecó (SC).

A capacidade da nova usina será de 1.150 m³/d e faz parte do plano de expansão da entidade, que também amplia seu processamento de grãos e intensifica esforços para atuar em diferentes segmentos do complexo soja.

Em conversa com a Argus, o assessor comercial da CooperAlfa, Luiz Kessler, fala sobre os planos da cooperativa para manter o equilíbrio entre as operações de biodiesel e o suprimento de insumos no mercado doméstico. A seguir, os principais trechos da entrevista.

O que levou a CooperAlfa a entrar no mercado de biodiesel?

Participamos do programa de biodiesel brasileiro desde o princípio, principalmente como fornecedor de matéria-prima para as indústrias do biocombustível. Atualmente, ofertamos mais de 200.000 toneladas (t)/ano de soja produzida a partir da agricultura familiar, que vão [no formato de óleo] para as empresas [produtoras de biodiesel].

O foco da cooperativa é a agricultura familiar e os pequenos produtores. Vemos no biodiesel uma oportunidade de melhorar essa relação comercial com esses trabalhadores e com o mercado.

Ampliamos o esmagamento de soja há aproximadamente 2 anos. Passamos de 700t para 2.000 t/d, com a expertise de vender óleo e farelo de soja no mercado. A partir daí começamos a analisar qual seria o próximo passo. Considerando o mandato de mescla e projeção de aumento [de biodiesel no diesel], enxergamos a oportunidade de incluir esse segmento nos negócios da cooperativa.

Como a CooperAlfa planeja ganhar espaço em um mercado que já conta com quase 60 usinas de biodiesel?

Acredito que a disputa será com participantes mais fortes do que nós, mas uma particularidade nossa é o relacionamento que fazemos com os clientes.

Nossa estratégia foi colocar três centrífugas na usina, para poder trabalhar com três módulos diferentes até chegar aos mais de 1.000 m³/d. Será mais tranquilo administrar a quantidade de biodiesel que produziremos, de acordo com o mercado que formos conquistando.

A CooperAlfa produzirá biodiesel a partir de óleo de soja ou usará outros insumos?

Projetamos a fábrica para ser flex, então terá a possibilidade de receber outras gorduras. Começaremos a rodar com óleo de soja e vamos aprendendo com o tempo, mas a ideia é aproveitar todas as oportunidades que existirem. Estamos localizados numa região de grades frigoríficos, tanto de suínos como de aves, então há também disponibilidade dessas gorduras.

A oferta de óleo de soja da CooperAlfa diminuirá com a produção de biodiesel?

A nossa estrutura tem tanques para comercialização de óleo de soja, mas a conta é que vai dizer onde vamos "colocar os ovos", no biodiesel ou no insumo. Mas deixaremos de ofertar parte do volume de óleo para o mercado.

Percebemos que o sucesso maior é para quem consegue trabalhar em toda a cadeia. Nós temos o produtor, a soja, a indústria de processamento e, agora, a de biodiesel.

Por Natalia Dalle Cort

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